Saint Peter’s Basilica
Basilica Papale di San Pietro in Vaticano
Right Now
See hours below
Opening hours & Mass times below
Next Mass
See schedule below
Today’s Mass times below
Highlights
01
Michelangelo’s Pietà
The sorrow of Mary cradling the body of Christ, carved when Michelangelo was only twenty-four. It’s the only work he ever signed.
02
Bernini’s Baldacchino, over the Tomb of St. Peter
A 96-foot bronze canopy (the largest bronze casting in the world) rises directly above the spot where tradition holds the Apostle Peter is buried.
03
The Chair of St. Peter
Bernini’s gilt-bronze reliquary seems to float above the apse, enshrining an ancient wooden chair traditionally linked to Peter himself.
04
Michelangelo’s Dome
The tallest dome in the world. Circle the base and read “Tu es Petrus…”: letters over four feet tall, wrapped around the whole interior.
05
The Four Great Relics
The Holy Lance, a fragment of the True Cross, and the Veil of Veronica are enshrined in the piers that hold up the dome, each marked by a monumental statue.
06
The Tombs of the Popes
Approximately 91 popes are buried in the basilica and the Vatican Grottoes beneath it, among them Saint Peter, Saint John Paul II, and Pope Benedict XVI.
Opening Hours
7 a.m. – 8 p.m. (last entry 7:15 p.m.)
Every day, year-round (effective June 1, 2026).
Last entry is subject to visitor flow and waiting times for security. Plan to arrive well before 7:15 p.m. if you want time inside.
The exception is on days of Papal Masses and when the Wednesday Audience is held in Saint Peter’s Square. When there is a morning Papal event in the basilica or in the piazza, the church opens a few hours after the conclusion of the event. When there is an evening Papal event in the basilica or piazza, the basilica closes a few hours before the event.
Verified against the basilica’s official site, 2026-09-06.
Mass Times
Saint Peter’s Basilica is an actual parish church with Mass celebrated daily for the local community – and the thousands of visitors who happen to drop by throughout the day.
Papal Masses are held on many Holy Days and some special occasions, but Saint Peter’s has a regular Mass schedule with a regular parish community. This is that ordinary schedule, not the Pope’s.
Weekdays
7 a.m. Holy Mass at the Altar of St. Joseph
7:30 a.m. Holy Mass at the Altar of St. Joseph
8:30 a.m. Holy Mass at the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament (Eucharistic Adoration follows, until 6:45 p.m.)
9 a.m. Holy Mass at the Altar of St. Joseph
10 a.m. Holy Mass at the Altar of St. Joseph
11 a.m. Holy Mass at the Altar of the Chair
12 p.m. Holy Mass at the Altar of the Chair
5 p.m. Holy Mass at the Altar of the Chair
6 p.m. Holy Mass at the Altar of the Chair
Sundays and Holy Days
7 a.m. Holy Mass at the Altar of St. Joseph
8 a.m. Holy Mass at the Altar of St. Joseph
9 a.m. Holy Mass at the Altar of the Chair
10:30 a.m. Solemn Mass, celebrated by the Basilica Chapter at the Altar of the Chair
12:30 p.m. Holy Mass at the Altar of the Chair
4 p.m. Holy Mass at the Altar of the Chair
5 p.m. Holy Mass at the Altar of the Chair
6 p.m. Holy Mass at the Altar of the Chair
The Basilica Chapter also prays Lauds at 9:45 a.m. and Vespers at 5 p.m. in the Choir Chapel on Sundays and holy days, not Masses, but open to visitors who’d like to pray the Divine Office there.
Also Offered: Traditional Latin Mass
Traditional Latin Mass (Extraordinary Form), Cappella della Bocciata / Clementine Chapel, crypt. ~7 a.m. daily (varies 7 – 8 a.m.); Sunday/feast days 7:30 or 8 a.m. or not celebrated at all, depending on celebrant availability.
Enter the crypt beside the statue of St. Andrew, under the dome. Timing is irregular, especially on Sundays and feast days, depending on celebrant availability.
Ordinary Mass schedule verified against the basilica’s official site, 2026-09-06. Times shift around papal Masses and audiences.
Confession
It is possible to go to confession in Saint Peter’s Basilica. Reconciliation is available in many languages, including English.
The area reserved for reconciliation is just to the right of the baldacchino – the large bronze canopy over the main altar. It is blocked off and private. You’ll need to let the attendant know you are there for confession.
Monday–Saturday: 7 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. and 4 – 7 p.m.
Sunday: 7 a.m. – 1 p.m. and 4 – 7 p.m.
Verified against the basilica’s official site, 2026-09-06.
Eucharistic Adoration
Adoration is in the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament, on the right side of the basilica. This area is roped off, and behind a curtain. Don’t be shy, and let the attendant know you are there for prayer. It sometimes gets crowded, and you may need to wait for others to exit. Be patient.
Monday–Saturday: following the 8:30 a.m. Mass until 6:45 p.m.
Verified against the basilica’s official site, 2026-09-06.
Dome
Climbing the Dome is a separate, timed reservation from the ordinary Basilica ticket. It includes access to the Basilica itself with the Digital Audio Guide, and ends with a walk around the dome’s inner and outer rings for a view over Rome.
There are two ways up:
- Stairs only, €17. 551 steps in total; not wheelchair accessible.
- Elevator plus stairs, €22. The lift reaches the terrace level, then 320 steps remain to the top.
Both tickets are timed, non-refundable, and non-transferable, and can be booked online through the official Saint Peter’s website. It isn’t recommended if you have heart or respiratory conditions, vertigo, claustrophobia, or limited mobility.
Dome (summer): 7 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Dome (winter): 7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. (hours can shift around religious celebrations)
Verified against the basilica’s official site, 2026-09-06.
Scavi
Beneath Saint Peter’s Basilica lies the Scavi: the excavated ancient Roman and early Christian necropolis the basilica was built over, including the area Vatican archaeologists identify as the tomb of Saint Peter. It’s a small, guided walk through streets and tombs that stayed sealed for over a thousand years before being excavated in the twentieth century.
Reservations go through the Fabbrica di San Pietro, the same office that runs the Basilica, using their official request form. You submit your preferred dates, language, and number of participants, and the Visits Office confirms an actual date and time by email before you pay by credit card. Cash and bank transfer are not accepted.
Visitors must be at least 10 years old, and groups run about 12 people with a guide, in the visitor’s chosen language. The tour lasts about an hour and runs underground, where the temperature and humidity differ from the Basilica above, so anyone prone to claustrophobia should think twice.
A full ticket is €20, with a reduced €14 rate for ages 10 through 17, guide included.
Reserve this as early as you can. It’s genuinely one of the hardest tickets to get in Rome, and dates fill up fast. If you strike out, it doesn’t hurt to show up in person and ask about last-minute cancellations.
You can request a reservation on the official Saint Peter’s website.
Necropolis: 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (Monday–Friday)
Necropolis (Saturday): mornings until 1 p.m. (closed Sundays and Vatican holidays)
Verified against the basilica’s official site, 2026-09-06.
FAQ
How much does Saint Peter’s Basilica cost?
Saint Peter’s Basilica is completely free.
Do I need tickets for Saint Peter’s Basilica?
No.
Is there a dress code for Saint Peter’s Basilica?
Knees and shoulders covered. You can use a simple cover-up like a light scarf. Important to note that the literal fashion police are checking people after the long security line. So people who don’t read my website and try to wear something skimpy to Saint Peter’s Basilica, will get turned away after waiting an hour or so to get in. This causes a lot of drama.
Can I skip the line at Saint Peter’s Basilica?
A few years ago a prayer entrance was finally added to access Saint Peter’s Basilica. The prayer entrance still exists, but it eventually merges with the paid reserved-access route near the columns. It can be a little confusing when you get there.
Saint Peter’s now also offers an official timed reservation with a dedicated entrance route. The reservation can be booked on the official Saint Peter’s website and currently costs €7. Technically, they do not call this a ‘skip the line’ ticket because everyone still has to go through security, but it gives you a reserved time and access through a dedicated route. The €7 reservation also includes their Digital Audio Guide.
A few things to keep in mind:
- The reserved-access wait can still be over one hour.
- Sometimes the free line is shorter.
- And there are some very official looking scammers around the line trying to sell these same reservations for up to €40.
What I recommend is that you wake up early and get to the church at 6:45 a.m. so you are there when they open. It’s a completely different experience than visiting once the tourist crowd is out and about. If that’s too early, arriving late in the day can also help avoid the crowds.
Where is the Sistine Chapel?
You can’t get there from here. You need to visit the Vatican Museums.
When does the pope celebrate Mass at Saint Peter’s Basilica?
While there are opportunities for Mass with the Holy Father, he does not have a daily, weekly, or monthly Mass at Saint Peter’s Basilica. There are Masses in the basilica throughout the day, not counting all the private Masses in the 7 a.m. hour, but you’re not going to see the pope at any of these.
Can I get married at Saint Peter’s Basilica?
Yes. There is a chapel reserved for weddings. Invite me and I’ll bring a gift. You can also hire me to take care of your guests while they are in Rome.
A Very Brief Tour
A walk through, roughly in the order you’ll encounter it.
St. Peter’s Square & the Façade
Bernini’s colonnaded square (1656–67) wraps around an Egyptian obelisk moved here from the Circus of Nero in 1586, flanked by two fountains. Take it in before you join the security line.
At the central bronze door, look for the Filarete Door (c. 1455, carried over from the original Old St. Peter’s) and, at the south portal, Giacomo Manzù’s 20th-century Door of the Dead. Above the central door outside, look up for the Navicella Mosaic: Giotto’s Christ walking on water, recreated in the 1600s.
The Crossing & High Altar
This is the heart of the basilica: Bernini’s Baldacchino over the high altar and the Tomb of St. Peter directly below (see Highlights, above). Look up for Michelangelo’s dome, and out to the four piers for the statues marking the basilica’s four great relics: St. Helena (the True Cross), St. Longinus (the Holy Lance, sculpted by Bernini), St. Andrew, and St. Veronica (her veil).
At the northeast pier, the bronze Statue of St. Peter Enthroned has a right foot worn smooth by centuries of pilgrims’ touches and kisses.
The Chair of St. Peter
Bernini’s Cathedra Petri (see Highlights, above), supported by bronze statues of Sts. Ambrose, Augustine, Athanasius, and John Chrysostom, enshrined here since 1666.
The Chapels
The Chapel of the Pietà and the Blessed Sacrament Chapel (with Bernini’s gilt-bronze tabernacle, a miniature of Bramante’s Tempietto flanked by two angels) are the two worth seeking out deliberately.
The Vatican Grottoes
Over 100 tombs lie in the basilica and the Grottoes beneath it, including nine popes: Benedict XV, John XXIII, and Pius X among them. Pope Benedict XVI, interred here on 5 January 2023, is the most recent papal burial in the basilica itself.
Address & Official Website
Church information is compiled from official parish, diocesan, and Vatican sources and cross-checked by The Catholic Traveler during his walks through Rome. However, Mass and opening times can change, especially around holy days and papal events, so please confirm before visiting.